Chapter 73: 73

| Kobra's Stronghold, Santa Prisca - July 22 Santa Prisca – Kobra's Stronghold The Team regrouped with Aqualad at the jungle's edge, standing before an unassuming rock formation that concealed their next objective. Megan placed a hand on the stone, her voice echoing in their minds. [This is the entrance.] Joseph stepped forward, his golden eyes glinting in the dim moonlight. [I got this.] With a thought, the massive rock lifted effortlessly, hovering for a moment before being deposited silently to the side. Dust settled, revealing a dark mine shaft leading into the heart of Kobra's operations. Kori gave him an approving nod. They moved inside, stepping carefully through the tunnel's damp, uneven terrain. The silence was eerie, their shadows stretching across the jagged walls. Eventually, they reached a reinforced metal door—no handle, no keyhole, only a fingerprint scanner glowing an ominous red. Superboy wasted no time. He grabbed Bane's unconscious hand, pressing his thick index finger against the scanner. A tense moment passed. Beep. The red light blinked green, and with a mechanical hiss, the door slid open. A stale gust of air greeted them, carrying the scent of oil, sweat, and something more sinister. Kori turned to M'gann. [Check if there's anyone nearby.] M'gann nodded, fading into invisibility as she peeked through the entrance. A moment later, her voice chimed in their heads. [Coast is clear.] They slipped inside. The corridor ahead branched in multiple directions, lined with crimson Kobra banners fluttering slightly from underground ventilation. Distant machinery hummed from deep within the facility. Superboy's ears twitched. [I hear a helicopter.] Kori frowned. [M'gann, take Robin and Kid Flash to the control room. We'll check out the helicopter.] Robin adjusted his gauntlet. [On it.] With that, the Team split. ** Kaldur, Kori, Nova, and Superboy moved through the dimly lit corridors. A few Kobra guards patrolled nearby, but they never saw the attack coming. Nova simply willed so and the guards floated helplessly towards him. Then he struck fast, rendering them unconscious. The Team pressed on. They stopped behind a stack of cargo crates, peering into the open hangar where a black helicopter sat idling. The massive space was filled with Kobra cultists, their faces hidden beneath red hoods, gathered in a ritualistic circle. At the center, a man in a snake-emblazoned robe chanted in a guttural, ancient tongue. Their mental link activated. [Guys, we found something.] Kid Flash's voice came through. [We tapped into the security feed and spotted Sportsmaster. Bad news—he's overseeing the shipment.] [And we can't contact the League because of the radio jammer,] Robin added. Kori tensed. [I don't know who Sportsmaster is but from the way you talk of him, he is bad news. So that changes our mission. We can't let them leave with the shipment. You three should sabotage their transport and destroy the entire shipment.] She turned to the rest of the Team. [Superboy, take Mammoth. I'll deal with Kobra. Kaldur, you handle Sportsmaster. Joseph—] Nova smirked. [Yeah, yeah. I'll handle the rest.] Realistically, both he and Kori could clear this entire base alone. He knew that. Batman knew that. Yet here he was, playing the Team game. He had no doubt this was a test—either for teamwork, or because Batman thought he was too young to run with the League. Kori seemed to like being part of a team so she played along. Fine. He'd play along too. ** Chaos erupted. Kori burst from cover first, green starbolts erupting from her hands. Superboy followed, colliding midair with Mammoth as the two powerhouses crashed into a nearby factory wall. Aqualad was making his way to Sportsmaster through the cultists. His water-blades clashing against weapons and bodies. And Nova? He simply rose into the air, surveying the battlefield. A little over a hundred cultists. He lowered himself and with a single thought, ten cultists lifted off the ground as if gravity itself had betrayed them. Lower levels of Nova Force exhibited concussive attributes rather than intense heat. Yellow Nova Force blasts rained down, precision strikes taking down enemies in waves. He adjusted his field, causing bullets to freeze midair, deflecting them harmlessly to the ground. Wouldn't want a stray round hitting a teammate. He spotted Kaldur struggling through the crowd, trying to reach Sportsmaster. Nova could easily take care of it but it felt mean to steal kills. So he would give Aqualad an assist. Nova extended his anti-gravity field, clearing a path for Aqualad. Bodies flung aside, tumbling like ragdolls, opening a straight shot to Sportsmaster. Aqualad took the chance, closing the distance and slamming his water-whips down hard. ** Across the battlefield, Kobra completed his ritual. The green cobra at his feet shuddered, its body contorting unnaturally. Within seconds, it grew, swelling to the size of a building, its scales darkening into an obsidian sheen. It let out a horrifying hiss, its glowing yellow eyes locking onto Kori. She didn't hesitate. Weaving through the air, she unleashed blazing Starbolts, each impact leaving scorching marks on the snake's thick hide. Nova watched as the monster struck, its fangs flashing toward Kori. She caught its jaws. With one hand. Her feet braced against its lower jaw, holding it open. Energy gathered in her free palm—then she unleashed a concentrated Starbolt beam straight into the creature's throat. The attack burned through its insides. The snake shuddered. Twitched. Then collapsed. Kori hovered above its smoldering corpse, her eyes glowing. She turned to Kobra. "Now for you."